Apple Liquid Glass Design
Apple has long been a trailblazer in design, captivating users with everything from the iconic iPhone to the minimalist MacBook. At the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025, the company introduced its latest software innovation: “Liquid Glass.” Apple’s bold new design overhaul is set to launch across its entire ecosystem — including iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26. While some are hailing it as a stunning evolution, others are less convinced, sparking a lively debate. Here’s a deep dive into what Liquid Glass is, how it’s being implemented, and why it’s dividing opinions.
What is Liquid Glass?
Liquid Glass is Apple’s newest software design language, featuring a translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings. This dynamic aesthetic adapts to highlight content, bringing a fresh vibrancy to controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more. Apple describes it as its “broadest software design update ever,” blending the optical qualities of glass with a fluid, context-aware transformation. The goal? To make apps and system interfaces more expressive and engaging while staying intuitive for users.
How It’s Changing Apple Devices
For the first time, Liquid Glass unifies Apple’s ecosystem while preserving each platform’s unique identity. Here’s how it’s being applied:
- On iOS 26 and iPadOS 26: Tab bars and sidebars have been reimagined — they gracefully contract as you scroll, drawing attention to the content while keeping controls close at hand through the fluid new Liquid Glass design.
- macOS Tahoe 26: The desktop and Dock come alive with customizable widgets and app icons, offering light or dark modes, colorful tints, and a striking clear finish—all powered by Liquid Glass.
- watchOS 26 and tvOS 26: Follow suit, adopting the same fluid, translucent visual language for a cohesive cross-platform experience.
Key system features like the Lock Screen, Home Screen, notifications, and Control Center also sport Liquid Glass updates. For example, the Lock Screen’s clock now uses this translucent material, elegantly adjusting to complement photo backgrounds.
Praise and Criticism: A Divided Response
The rollout of Liquid Glass has ignited passionate reactions. Fans of the design applaud its sleek, modern look. A software designer praised its “refreshing” feel, especially on iPads, where it enhances interaction comfort. Another tech enthusiast called it “beautiful,” hoping it signals a broader shift away from flat, static interfaces.
But not everyone’s sold. Critics argue that the translucent effects compromise readability, making text and icons harder to decipher. Social media posts have labeled it “objectively bad design,” with one user lamenting, “The idea’s cool, but I can barely read my notifications.” Performance concerns also loom, with some joking that older devices like the iPhone 13 might struggle to keep up. A satirical claim about Apple firing the designer behind Liquid Glass even made the rounds, though it was quickly debunked as humor.
What’s Next for Liquid Glass?
Liquid Glass signals a bold shift for Apple, moving beyond flat design toward a livelier, translucent style that brings depth and motion to the user experience. Its supporters see it as a bold step forward, but the usability critiques suggest Apple might need to tweak it. Past updates, like the shift to flat design in iOS 7, show the company’s willingness to adapt based on feedback. As users explore Liquid Glass in the coming months, its fate—whether a triumph or a work in progress—will become clearer.
For now, this polarizing design is set to define Apple’s software ecosystem. Love it or hate it, Liquid Glass has everyone talking.
